Method and apparatus for handing off control of service access over a cable IP network

ABSTRACT

In a communication network that provides a path through a cable IP network between sending and receiving terminals residing on respective networks (e.g., an HFC, and/or PSTN network) controlled by different network managers or service providers, a controller hands off control of service access of the terminals between the service providers. Subscriber terminals may include broadband telephony interfaces, cable modems, or multimedia terminal adapters. To effect hand-off control, configurable modules of the terminals enable them to respond directly to a network manager (e.g., cable modem termination system or call management server) according to instructions supplied by the controller based either on subscriber authorization, database information, call type, dialing plan, and/or other parameters. Transfer of call control may also occur on a call-by-call basis. Further, a usage server collects network usage information of the respective terminals or subscribers to determine user fees between competitive networks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a communication network, but morespecifically to a method and an apparatus that hands off control ofservice access between service providers communicating through a cableIP network.

In some present-day circuit-switched environments, a service providerallows subscribers to communicate with other subscribers through atelephony network resale service. Such resale services are based on twoknown business models, i.e., a Total Services Resale (TSR) model and anUnbundled Network Elements (UNE) model. Both models involve complicatedregulatory and financial arrangements for the exchange of networkservice fees among service and network providers.

A first object of the present invention is to provide a method and anapparatus for cable telephony network service access that avoidscomplicated inter-provider operations and billing processes of the priorart while allowing a calling party to designate his or her desiredservice provider on a per-call basis with minor changes to the existingnetwork infrastructures.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a method and anapparatus for cable telephony network service access that decouplesservice provider selection from a network provider and that allows aselection of a service provider and/or call handling protocol based oncriteria such as call type, dialing plan, destination, or othercriteria.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a method and anapparatus for cable telephony network service access that allows anetwork provider to use a hand-off Call Management Server (CMS) and/or anetwork provider CMS to authorize users and then transfer call controlto a CMS of competitive service provider. This avoids sending thedial-around traffic or primary carrier traffic to a circuit switch,e.g., a public switched telephone network (PSTN), for processing.

A fourth object of the present invention is to provide value-addedservices, such as videoconferencing, in a cable IP network that operatesacross multiple service providers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention, a method is provided of transferringcall control between a first terminal and a second terminalcommunicating through a cable IP network where the first terminalresides on an originating network and the second terminal resides on areceiving network. A preferred method comprises the steps ofcontrolling, by a first service provider, access of the first terminalrelative to the originating network and cable IP network via aprovisionable module that enables the first terminal to respond to callsetup and control messages supplied thereto; controlling, by a secondservice provider, access of the second terminal relative to thereceiving network and the cable IP network via a provisionable modulethat enables the second terminal to respond to call setup and controlmessages supplied thereto; and, in response to a call control parameterissued by a call agent communicating with the originating and receivingnetworks over the cable IP network, provisioning the first terminal torespond to call setup and control messages issued directly from thereceiving network to effect a hand-off of control of the first terminalfrom the originating network to the receiving network.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an improvement in acommunication network that provides a path through a cable IP networkbetween a sending terminal of a sending network and a receiving terminalof a receiving network comprising a first network manager operated by afirst service provider that manages network access of the sendingterminal; a configuration module of the sending terminal that receivesinformation defining a call setup and control protocol that controlsaccess of said sending terminal to the sending network; a second networkmanager operated by a second service provider that manages networkaccess of the receiving terminal; a configuration module of thereceiving terminal capable of receiving a call setup and controlprotocol that controls access of said receiving terminal to thereceiving network; and a call control agent in communication with thefirst and second network managers to effect a transfer of access controlof the sending terminal from the first network manager to the secondnetwork manager in response to a call control parameter.

Other aspects and features of the invention will become apparent uponreview of the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings. However, the invention is pointed out by theappended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a hybrid fiber coax (HFC)-based cable IPtelephony network service access architecture and operation according toan aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a sending or receiving terminal,e.g., a customer premise equipment (CPE), connected with a networkmanager of the cable IP network of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of an index map stored in a customer profiledatabase according to an aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of a hand-off (CMS) according to an aspectof the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows an HFC-based cable IP telephony network according toanother embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows another HFC-based cable IP telephony network according toan aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows another HFC-based cable IP telephony network according toyet another aspect of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is particularly suitable for implementation in ahybrid fiber coaxial Internet Protocol (HFC IP) network that provides IPtelephony services over cable where various hardware and softwareelements are already in place. HFC networks generally include fiber andcoaxial cable to link customer premises equipment (CPE) with a cablehead-end distribution system.

FIG. 1 illustrates an HFC-based cable IP telephony network serviceaccess architecture and operation according to a first embodiment of theinvention. The network also includes conventional infrastructurenetworking elements, such as switches and routers, although they are notshown.

As illustrated, network 100 comprises a plurality of network managers inthe form of CMSs, a plurality of gateway platforms, and a plurality ofintelligent cable modem termination system (CMTS). CMSs comprisehand-off CMS 101, which serves as a call agent; a competitive localexchange carrier (CLEC) 102; and may also comprise a CMS to handle videoand/or conference services of provider 103. The CMSs interface thenetwork and coordinate with each other to provide a service according tothe subscriber's data transfer needs using common network resources,such as bandwidth. Gateways comprise GR303 gateway platform 104 and PSTNtrunking gateway 105, which access PSTN 110 to connect calls betweencable IP network 111 and PSTN 110. Network managers include CMTS 106,coupled between cable IP network 111 and HFC network 112, and CMTS 107coupled between cable IP network 111 and HFC network 113. Independentservice providers may operate network managers 106 and 107.

A hand-off CMS 101 accesses a customer profile database 108 thatmaintains an index of users' inputs and their corresponding serviceprovider CMSs. An exemplary index is shown in FIG. 3.

A network usage server 109 coupled to CMTS 106 monitors and collectsusage data for subsequent billing during settlement of financialarrangements between CLECs, such as the operators or service providersof network managers 106 and 107 based on access records or an accessplan. As a result, each network provider obtains revenue through accessusage events. Information exchanged between network managers occurs bycontrol signaling over the cable IP network 111.

The communication network further includes a number of sending andreceiving terminals, such as CPE 121, 122, 123, 124, and 125 that mayoriginate or receive messages over the network. FIG. 2 illustrates afunctional block diagram of an embodiment of a CPE used in network 111that supports protocols supplied to it by various service providers. CPE121 preferably comprises a broadband telephony interface (BTI) ormultimedia terminal adapter (MTA), e.g., a cable modem or a device withcable modem functionality. In the present embodiment, CPE 121 includes aprogrammable computing unit comprising microcontroller unit (MCU) 201,digital signal processor (DSP) 202, random access memory (RAM) 203,network interface 204, cable modem 205, user interface logic 206, andcodec 207. DSP 202 performs voice- and image-related signal processingfunctions. Network interface 204 allows transmission and reception ofpackets to and from the CPE 121. User interface logic 206 provides atemplate to interpret incoming signals. Cable modem 205 may preferablycomprise an HFC converter box, which communicates with an HFC networkunder established protocols, for example, DOSCIS standards. CPEs mayalso interface with service provider CMSs directly, receive and respondto call setup queries therefrom, and proceed with service controlmessaging.

FIG. 3 illustrates an index map 300 maintained by customer profiledatabase 108 according to an aspect of the present invention. Index map300 includes service provider information pre-defined by users so as tomap users' inputs to their corresponding service provider or CMS thathandles the user. For example, carrier information code (CIC) 101-0336corresponds to CLEC 102; a service access code 467 corresponds to thethird CMS—video and/or conference service provider 103; and serviceaccess code 500 may correspond to a CMS providing calendar service.Pre-defined information in index map 300 may be combined with a dialingplan and/or service identification to enable a calling party'sdesignation.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a hand-off CMS 101.Hand-off CMS 101 includes processor 401, processor bus 402, cache memory403, memory controller 404, main memory 405, input/output controller406, input/output bus 407, input/output device 408, a communicationinterface 409, and a mass storage device 410. Hand-off CMS 101 may havean access to customer profile database 108 having information that maybe transferred to mass storage device 410.

Hand-off CMS 101 receives signals from a user or subscriber, authorizesa call, and then transfers call control to CLEC 102, a CMS of analternate service provider according to the calling party's input andindex 300. Consequently, the calling party can designate his/her desiredservice provider CMS on a per-call basis using any combination ofpredefined information in index 300, dialing plan, and/or serviceidentification. Working with information stored in customer profiledatabase 108, hand-off CMS 101 enables a calling party to designate aservice provider CMS on a per-call basis without any further networkmodification.

FIG. 1 also illustrates an operational process according to anembodiment of the present invention. Calling party dials 101-0336—acarrier information code designating the first CLEC 102- and a telephonenumber at CPE 121 to make a call to the called party 125. At step 1, acall setup request is sent to hand-off CMS 101, a network provider CMS,from CPE 121. Hand-off CMS 101 sends a query to customer profiledatabase 108 and determines that the service provider CMS correspondingto calling party's input is the first CLEC 102, a service provider CMS(step 2). Hand-off CMS 101 passes call control to the first CLEC 102 forcall completion (step 3). If the calling party is authorized, hand-offCMS 101 notifies CMTS 106 through HFC network 112 that there is a validcall request from the first CLEC 102. Otherwise the call is ended (step4). The first CLEC 102 then confirms a call setup to CPE 121 (step 5)and sends a control signal to CMTS 106 and PSTN trunking gateway 105,setting up a real time protocol (RTP) stream between the CMTS 106 andPSTN gateway 105 (step 6). The calling party at CPE 121 may now talk tothe called party 125 via a voice path through HFC network 112, CMTS 106,cable IP network 111, PSTN trunking gateway 105, and PSTN 110. CMTS 106also sends call start event data to Record-Keeping Server (RKS) 109 torecord usage events (step 7). When the calling party and the calledparty end their call, CMTS 106 sends call end event data to the RKSusage event collection server 109 (step 8), and the first CLEC 102communicates a call end message to hand-off CMS 101 (step 9).

FIG. 5 illustrates an HFC-based cable IP telephony network serviceaccess architecture and operation according to another embodiment of theinvention. In the following description, for purposes of explanation,the same reference numbers are used to denote like elements of thenetwork. Calling party dials 101-0336—a carrier information codedesignating the CLEC 102—and a telephone number at CPE 121 to make acall to called party 124. In a first step in the sequence, a call setuprequest is sent from CPE 121 (step 1) to hand-off CMS 101, which is anetwork provider CMS. In a second step, hand-off CMS 101 sends a queryto customer profile database 108 and determines that the serviceprovider CMS corresponding to calling party's input is the first CLEC102, a service provider CMS. In a third step, hand-off CMS 101 passescall control to the first CLEC 102 for call completion. In a fourthstep, if the calling party is authorized, hand-off CMS 101 notifies CMTS106 through HFC network 112 that there is a valid call request from thefirst CLEC 102. Otherwise the call is ended. In a fifth step, the firstCLEC 102 then confirms call setup to CPE 121 and CPE 124 and, in a sixthstep, sends control signal to CMTS 106 and CMTS 107, setting up a realtime protocol (RTP) stream therebetween. In a seventh step, callingparty at CPE 121 may now talk to the called party at CPE 124 via a voicepath through HFC network 112, CMTS 106, cable IP network 111, CMTS 107,and HFC network 113. In the seventh step, CMTS 106 also sends call startevent data to RKS usage event collection server 109 for recording. Inthe eighth step, when the calling party and the called party end theirphone call, CMTS 106 sends call end event data to RKS usage eventcollection server 109 and, in a ninth step, the first CLEC 102communicates call end message to hand-off CMS 101.

FIG. 6 shows a diagram of an HFC-based cable IP telephony networkservice access architecture and operation according to a thirdembodiment of the present invention. Calling party dials 467—a serviceaccess code designating the third CMS, the video and/or conferenceservice provider 103—and a telephone number at CPE 121 to make a videoconference call to videoconference parties CPE 123 and 124. A call setuprequest is sent to hand-off CMS 101, a network provider CMS, from CPE121 (step 1). Hand-off CMS 101 sends a query to customer profiledatabase 108 and determines that the service provider CMS correspondingto calling party's input is the video and/or conference service provider103, a service provider CMS (step 2). Hand-off CMS 101 passes callcontrol to video and/or conference service provider 103 for callcompletion (step 3). If the calling party is authorized, hand-off CMS101 notifies CMTS 106 through HFC network 112 that there is a valid callrequest from video and/or conference service provider 103. Otherwise thecall is ended (step 4). Video and/or conference service provider 103then confirms call setup to CPE 121, 123 and CPE 124 (step 5), and sendscontrol signal to CMTS 106 and CMTS 107, setting up an RTP streamtherebetween (step 6). Calling party at CPE 121 now can have avideoconference with videoconference parties 123 and 124 via a signalpath going through HFC network 112, CMTS 106, cable IP network 111,video and/or conference service provider 103, CMTS 107, and HFC network113 in conventional ways. CMTS 106 also sends call start event data toRKS usage event collection 109 for recording (step 7). When thevideoconference parties end their conference, CMTS 106 sends call endevent data to RKS usage event collection 109 (step 8), and the videoand/or conference service provider 103 communicates call end message tohand-off CMS 101 (step 9).

FIG. 7 shows a diagram of an HFC-based cable IP telephony networkservice access architecture and operation according to a fourthembodiment of the present invention. Calling party dials 467—a serviceaccess code designating the third CMS, the video and/or conferenceservice provider 103—and a telephone number at CPE 121 to make a videoconference call to videoconference parties, i.e., CPE 123, 124 and 125.A call setup request is sent to hand-off CMS 101, a network providerCMS, from CPE 121 (step 1). Hand-off CMS 101 sends a query to customerprofile database 108 and determines that the service provider CMScorresponding to calling party's input is the video and/or conferenceservice provider 103, a service provider CMS (step 2). Hand-off CMS 101passes call control to video and/or conference service provider 103 forcall completion (step 3). If the calling party is authorized, hand-offCMS 101 notifies CMTS 106 through HFC network 112 that there is a validcall request from video and/or conference service provider 103.Otherwise the call is ended (step 4). Video and/or conference serviceprovider 103 then confirms call setup to CPE 121, 123 and CPE 125 (step5) and sends a control signal to CMTS 106 and CMTS 107, setting up areal time protocol (RTP) stream therebetween (step 6). A signal path issetup between or among the calling party 121 and the videoconferenceparties 123 and 124 through HFC network 112, CMTS 106, cable IP network111, video and/or conference service provider 103, CMTS 107, and HFCnetwork 113. Videoconference party 125 is connected to video and/orconference service provider 103 through PSTN network 110 and joins thissignal path. Calling party at CPE 121 now can have videoconference withparties 123, 124 and 125 via the signal paths in a conventional way.CMTS 106 also sends call start event data to RKS usage event collection109 for recording (step 7). When the videoconference parties end theirconference, CMTS 106 sends call end event data to RKS usage eventcollection 109 (step 8), and the video and/or conference serviceprovider 103 communicates call end message to hand-off CMS 101 (step 9).

Based on the teachings provided herein, modifications and changes may bemade by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention defined by theappended claims is deemed to include such modifications and changes.

1. A method of transferring call control between a first terminal and asecond terminal communicating through a cable IP network where the firstterminal resides on an originating network and the second terminalresides on a receiving network, the method comprising: controlling, by afirst service provider, access of the first terminal relative to theoriginating network and cable IP network via a provisionable module thatenables the first terminal to respond to call setup and controlmessages, controlling, by a second service provider, access of thesecond terminal relative to the receiving network and the cable IPnetwork via a provisionable module that enables the second terminal torespond to call setup and control messages supplied thereto, in responseto a call control parameter issued by a call agent communicating withthe originating and receiving networks over the cable IP network,provisioning the first terminal to respond to call setup and controlmessages issued directly from the receiving network whereby to effect ahand-off of control of the first terminal from the originating networkto the receiving network.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprisingthe call agent obtaining authorization from a subscriber prior toeffecting hand-off of control.
 3. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising the call agent obtaining call setup and control informationto provision the first terminal from at least one of: a subscriber, adatabase, a call type, and a dialing plan.
 4. The method of claim 3,wherein said provisioning of the first terminal occurs on a call-by-callbasis.
 5. The method of claim 3, further comprising monitoring usage ofthe first and second terminals to determine user fees for use of saidnetworks.
 6. The method of claim 5 wherein at least one of saidoriginating and receiving networks comprises a hybrid coaxial fibernetwork.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first and secondterminals comprises one of a broadband terminal, a cable modem, abroadband telephony interface, and a multimedia terminal adapter; andeach of the originating and receiving networks comprises one of a hybridfiber coaxial network, a PSTN network, and a broadband network.
 8. In acommunication network that provides a path through a cable IP networkbetween a sending terminal of a sending network and a receiving terminalof a receiving network, an improvement comprising: a first networkmanager operated by a first service provider that manages network accessof the sending terminal, a configuration module of the sending terminalthat receives information defining a call setup and control protocolthat controls access of said sending terminal to the sending network, asecond network manager operated by a second service provider thatmanages network access of the receiving terminal, a configuration moduleof the receiving terminal for receiving a call setup and controlprotocol that controls access of said receiving terminal to thereceiving network, and a call control agent in communication with thefirst and second network managers to effect a transfer of access controlof the sending terminal from the first network manager to the secondnetwork manager in response to a call control parameter.
 9. Theimprovement of claim 8, wherein the call control agent effectsprovisioning of the configuration modules of the sending and receivingterminals according to information obtained from at least one of: asubscriber, a database, a call type, a dialing plan, and a destinationof the receiving terminal.
 10. The improvement of claim 9, wherein thesending network comprises a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network, thefirst network manager comprises a cable modem termination system (CMTS),and the sending terminal comprises a broadband modem, a multimediaterminal adapter or broadband telephony interface.
 11. The improvementof claim 9, wherein said receiving terminal resides on a PSTN network,and said second network manager controls a gateway between the cable IPtelephony network and the PSTN network.
 12. The improvement of claim 9,wherein the first and second network managers comprise a cable modemtermination systems (CMTS), the sending and receiving networks comprisehybrid fiber coaxial networks on which the sending and receivingterminals respectively reside, and the first network manager transferscontrol of the call to the second network manager in response to a callcontrol parameter.
 13. The improvement of claim 9, wherein the secondnetwork manager provides a video conference service by way ofconfiguring multiple terminals needed to intercommunicate via aconferencing gateway.
 14. In operation with a cable IP network thatlinks a sending terminal of a sending network with a receiving terminalof a receiving network, an improvement comprising: a first configurationmodule co-located with at least one of the sending terminal and thesending network to define a service access protocol according to callcontrol information supplied thereto, a first network manager in theform of cable modem termination system operated by a first serviceprovider to bridge the sending network and the cable IP network, asecond configuration module co-located with at least one of thereceiving terminal and the receiving network that is for defining aservice access protocol for the transfer of information between thesending and receiving terminals, a second network manager operated by asecond service provider independent of the first service provider thatis operative to bridge the receiving network and the cable IP network,and a controller in communication with the first and second networkmanagers to effect a transfer of call control from the first networkmanager to the second network manager in response to a call controlparameter.
 15. For use with a cable IP network that links sending andreceiving networks that respectively support a sending terminal and atleast one broadband receiving terminal, an improvement comprising: afirst configuration module of the sending terminal that defines aservice access procedure according to control information supplied by asubscriber on a per call basis, a first network manager operated by afirst service provider to bridge the sending network and the cable IPnetwork, a second configuration module of the receiving terminal fordefining a service access protocol that controls a conveyance ofinformation between the sending terminal and the receiving terminal, asecond network manager operated by a second service provider to bridgethe receiving network and the cable IP network, and a controller incommunication with the first network manager and the second networkmanager to effect a transfer of call control from the first networkmanager to the second network manager by enabling provisioning of thefirst and second configuration modules to implement service accessprocedures required by the hand-off.
 16. In a cable IP network thatlinks a sending CPE of a sending network and a receiving CPE of areceiving network, an improvement comprising: a first configurationmodule of the sending CPE for being provisioned to define a serviceaccess protocol that controls the transfer of information, a CMTS of anHFC network operated by a first service provider for authorizing andbridging a call between the sending CPE and the receiving CPE accordingto a service access protocol, a second configuration module of thereceiving CPE for being provisioned to define a service access procedurethat controls an information conveyance between the sending CPE and thereceiving CPE, a network manager operated by a second service providerfor effecting a link between the sending and receiving CPEs through thereceiving network and the cable IP network by configuring at least oneof the first and second configuration modules, and a controller thateffects a hand-off of call control from the CMTS to the network managerby effecting provisioning of the first and second configuration modulesto implement a given service access procedure according to a callcontrol parameter.
 17. The improvement of claim 16, wherein thecontroller effects the hand-off by provisioning the first configurationmodule to respond to setup instructions from the network manageroperated by the second service provider.
 18. The improvement of claim17, wherein the controller enables a subscriber selection of aforwarding/receiving service provider on a call-by-call basis.
 19. Theimprovement of claim 18, wherein the controller enables videoconferencing, calendar services, stock watch services, or otherservices.
 20. The improvement of claim 16, wherein the controllerenables provisioning of service access protocols according to one ofselection by a subscriber, an entry in a database, a call type, a calldestination, a dialing plan of the sending CPE, and a serviceidentification associated with the sending CPE.
 21. The improvement ofclaim 20, wherein the controller transfers call control to the networkmanager to handle the call according to a provisioning implemented bythe first configuration module.
 22. The improvement of claim 20, furtherincluding a usage server (RKS) that keeps track of call events in orderto enable a settlement of network usage fees for use of the controllingnetwork.
 23. The improvement of claim 22, wherein the usage server usesinternetwork signaling to obtain network usage information upon which toenable a determination of network usage fees.